Chapter THREE

Sasuke often finds himself spending his free time with Sakura.

The second time he seeks her out is five days after their first meeting. He just happens to overhear some Oto shinobi talking about the girl's return from whatever mission she had been sent out on and before he realizes it, he finds himself standing in front of her locked up room.

He copies what Kabuto did and sends a pulse of chakra through the door. He hears the metal parts moving within and the door opens.

He steps in then hesitates because while Sakura is there, she is lying on her bed, sleeping.

When she doesn't awaken at his entry, he wonders is she is a real shinobi. He knows the amount of sound he made should have woken up even Nara Shikamaru.

Just as he considers leaving, Sakura moves as though she had sensed his thoughts and chooses that moment to wake up. She opens her eyes, her green orbs landing on Sasuke before he can decide whether or not he should stay of bolt.

"Sasuke!" Sakura is sitting up like a bolt. She tries to stand but her sheets catch her ankles and with a yelp, she is tumbling towards the ground. Sasuke reaches out and catches her by the waist before she falls and Sakura lets out a airy "Whoa."

For a second, she hangs limply in his arms and Sasuke, who would have let go in any other circumstance, hesitates, because like this, he can feel just how thin Sakura is. He was sure that he could wrap his hands around her waist, no problem. "You okay?" He finds himself asking.

Sakura shakes her head, as if to clear some thoughts, then nods. "Yup. I just got dizzy. I'm fine now."

Sasuke places her on her feet and Sakura sways for a second, before she straightens herself and she grins. "See?"

Sasuke eyes her skeptically but has no time to dwell on it because Sakura is grabbing his wrist and she sits him down on her bed. "How are you today, Sasuke?"

"Hn." Sasuke looks away, because it has been awhile since he has talked to anyone about nothings and he just came here without knowing what he wants.

Sakura seems to understand, though, because she doesn't press any further. Instead, she begins to talk. "I saw a little boy riding his father's back during my mission." She tells him. "Kimimaro told me that it was called a piggyback."

Sasuke thinks of the time Itachi piggybacked him when he was small. "You've never...?" He trails off.

Sakura hums, though, so she must have understood. "Nope." She taps her chin. "Kimimaro bought a scroll at this stand." She says. "He said it was something about bones." She hums and it takes Sasuke a moment to realize that she is trying to think of things to say, things she had seen.

He decides to press his limits. "What was your mission about?" He asks.

Sakura blinks. "We had to get rid of this man who was selling pieces of paper. Kimimaro wouldn't tell me, but apparently, he's a bad guy, so I killed him."

Sasuke hums softly, not knowing what to say to someone who talks about killing like it is nothing. He knows people like that, but not even they bring it up unless they have to and he has never actually talked to any of them. "Paper?" He asks.

"It had lots of numbers on it." Sakura continues. "I didn't really understand it."

Sasuke wonders how much of the shinobi world Sakura understand. Supposedly being Orochimaru seems to have taught her the skills requires in the physical area but other than that, she is nothing like a ninja. Regardless of not being valuable information, she had just told him the contents of her mission, something all shinobi were taught against.

He gets to his feet and Sakura's eyes follow his movements. "Are you leaving already?" She asks.

Sakura glances over at her. "How about we go to the training grounds?" He suggests. "You said we could spar."

Sakura's eyes brighten and she gets to her feet. Then, as if a sudden thought had hit her, she pauses. "I'm not allowed to go out." She told him. "Otou-sama said so."

"Why not?" Sasuke asks.

"Dunno." She said. "It was never boring in here anyways, cause Kabuto sometimes brings me the failed experiments and he lets me play with them."

Sasuke remembers the lump of flesh he had seen her messing around with the first time he saw her. "Hn." He says, not knowing what else to say.

Sakura hums. "I'll ask Kabuto next time he comes around." She says. "Then maybe we can spar." She smiles at him.

Sasuke nods then quickly leaves, because for a second, he had been tempted to reach out and pat the girl on the head.


"Kabuto tells me you rejected number 9839." Orochimaru says.

Sakura licks her lips. "Yup."

The Snake Sannin gets up from his throne and gestures for Sakura to follow him. The girl giggles happily and falls into step behind him. "Why's that?" He asks.

"Cause Sasuke doesn't like it." Sakura tells him. "He wouldn't say, but I can tell."

"You like Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru leads the girl down the stairs, to the third floor where all the experiments are kept.

"I do." Sakura twirls around, gracefully stepping over the hands grabbing for her. "He's nice."

Orochimaru chuckles. He stops in front of one of the cells and opens it. The man inside lunges out and Orochimaru does not even blink. In a split second, Sakura is in front of him and she grabs the man's head with her hand. They are so small they barely cover the attacker's face but it seem to be more than enough for the girl to tighten her grip and crush his skull. There is a sickening crack and Sakura drops the limp man to the ground.

"You weren't supposed to do that, Sakura-chan." Orochimaru scolds lightly. "He was your sparing partner."

"He was number 9839." Sakura says. "I was supposed to kill him anyways."

Orochimaru shrugs. He then walks off and Sakura follows, leaving behind the dead man.

They travel down another set of stairs and Orochimaru leads her into one of the rooms. He sits her down on the dental engine like chair. Sakura places her hand on the armrests without being told and Orochimaru hums. He straps them into place. "How are you feeling today?" He asks.

Sakura wriggles her fingers. "Okay." She says. "Nothing wrong."

"That's good." Orochimaru reaches out and brushes away her hair. He places his hand on the right side of her neck, then her left. He sends a pulse of chakra through. He feels a spiking chakra reacting and smirks.

"You truly are perfect, Sakura-chan."


So, a few more hints/information about Sakura...? Can if even be called that?

This chapter was actually supposed to be Sasuke finding out something but we decided that we wanted one more chapter before things began to go messy...yeah.

Raven: So, currently, Darque is obsessed with this song/rhyme thing and I have to deal with her singing it 24/7.

Darque: My mother has killed me, my father is eating me, my brothers and sisters sit under the table, picking up my bones, and they will bury them, under the cold marble stone~

Raven: Apparently, it's from some English folktale, 'The Rose Tree', or something. Something about a Mother Goose?

Darque: My mother has killed me, my father is eating me, my brothers and sisters sit under the table, picking up my bones, and they will bury them, under the cold marble stone~

Raven: And this is what I have to deal with. Anyone feeling sorry for me?

Darque: My mother has killed me, my father is eating me, my brothers and sisters sit under the table, picking up my bones, and they will bury them, under the cold marble stone~

Raven: I don't mind if none of you do. I'm feeling sorry for myself enough for everyone in the world.

Darque: My mother has killed me, my father is eating-

Raven: IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP, I WILL FRIGGIN KILL YOU AND EAT YOU!

Read and Review~


WE ARE LOOKING FOR A STORY...PLEASE TELL US IF YOU KNOW IT.

- Sasori x Sakura, we think.

- High school AU

- They prank someone (Ino?). They knocked her unconscious and dump her in a bathtub full of dye, or something.

- Sakura says something about not really being friends with Ino and the others, and that they only want to be picked to go on an 'adventure', or something.

PLEASE TELL US IF YOU KNOW/FIND IT!